Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Had a light Breakfast of 2 Eckrich Smoked Turkey Sausage Breakfast Links and a Healthy Life While Grain Muffin, with my morning Bigelow Decaf Green Tea. Did a load of laundry for Mom. Then went to Kroger and picked up a couple of prescriptions for Dad. Came back and got the leaf blower out and cleaned the drive and around the house. Grilled a Ball Park White Turkey Frank for lunch. After lunch a friend of mine called and wanted me to pick her up to go get her car at mechanics. Busy day. For dinner tonight it's nothing but good! I prepared Fried Okeechobee Crappie w/ Golden Hominy and Cut Green Beans.

As I scanned the freezer last night for something to have for dinner a bag of that Lake Okeechobee Crappie caught my eye right away! So I grabbed a couple of bags and put them in the fridge to thaw overnight. Okeechobee Crappie, or Specks as they call them in Florida are my favorite, just love the taste of them! To start I rinsed the fillets off in cold water and patted dry with a paper towel. I then seasoned them a bit of Sea Salt and then rolled them in Zatarain’s Crispy Southern Fish Fri Breading Mix. Pan fried them in Extra Virgin Olive Oil about 3 minutes per side.As always they came out Golden Brown and delicious! It’s hard to even describe how much I love eating Crappie, especially the Lake Okeechobee Crappie.

For a side dish I opened up a can of Kroger Brand Golden Hominy. For those that has never had or heard of Hominy; Hominy is a food made from kernels of corn which are soaked in an alkali solution of either lime or lye. The corrosive nature of the solution removes the hull and germ of the corn and causes the grain itself to puff up to about twice its normal size. My favorite is the Golden Hominy. If you’ve never tried it do, makes a good side dish! Then I also heated up a small can of Del Monte Cut Green Beans. For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Double Chocolate Pudding.

Zatarain’s Crispy Southern Fish Fri

The secret of authentic Southern style fried fish is the crispy combination of cornmeal, corn flour, spices and lemon juice captured in this special Zatarain’s Frying Mix.

Chicken is a healthy choice for any season, and in the summer this lean protein can be served many delicious ways. Whether you try it grilled, baked, or simmered, you won't have to settle for the same old chicken recipe again. From the Diabetic Living On Line website. http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/

You don't have to give up the comfort of fried chicken -- just prepare it a little differently. Try this oven-baked alternative using a crispy combo of Parmesan cheese and dry bread crumbs. One serving has only 4 grams of carb.....

Chicken Focaccia Sandwiches

With a deli-roasted chicken, this focaccia sandwich is super simple to put together -- no cooking involved! To bring the carb count to a range that's just right for you, opt for a lower-carb bread to create this sandwich masterpiece.....

Buffalo Chicken Salad

When you're craving the heat, take a bite of this spicy Buffalo chicken salad topped with creamy blue cheese crumbles -- without the worry of excess calories and fat.....

* Click the link below to get all the Healthy & Delicious Diabetic Chicken Recipes

Monday, June 29, 2015

Another night and day of heavy rain on and off. Had some excitement here in the neighborhood, just down the street and around the corner from where I live. The Police answered a domestic disturbance call and when they got there a man had barricaded himself in and was armed. So we had the West Chester Police Department and a Swat Team all here from 6:30 yesterday evening until about 10:00 this morning. He finally came out on his own and was arrested. It's usually a real quiet neighborhood, but not last night! Did some chores around the house and ran to Kroger for Mom. For dinner tonight it's a Breakfast Menu! I prepared a Ham, Cheese, and Fried Egg Biscuit w/ Hash Browns.

I got the basic idea for this sandwich watching an episode of American Diner Revival , love that show. Chef Amanda Freitag spices the menus of small diners being renovated. I simplified my version of her recipe and added a Fried Egg on top of the Ham. To make the Sandwich I'll be using the following; Smithfield Anytime Hickory Smoked Boneless Sliced Ham, 1 Egg (Medium Size), 1 Slice Kraft Deli Deluxe Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Sweet Hot Stone Ground Mustard, 1 Grands Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuit. This sounds delicious just writing the ingredients down!

I started by preheating the oven on 350 degrees. I'll be baking my Grand Biscuits for 16 minutes. As

the Biscuits were baking I grabbed 2 small skillets and 1 medium size skillet; 1 for the Ham, 1 for the Fried Egg, and 1 for my Hash Browns which is one of my side dishes. Heated up 2 of the skillets on medium heat, heated 2 skillet on medium high for the Hash Browns. The ham is precooked so I all I had to do was warm it up. I prepared the Egg Overeasy seasoning it with Morton's Light Salt and Ground Black Pepper. To make the Biscuit Sandwich I took one of the Biscuits and sliced it in half. I put the Stone Ground Mustard on the bottom slice of the Biscuit, a slice of Cheese, then the Ham, and topped with the Egg and the top half of the Biscuit. What Sandwich! It is a messy sandwich though with Egg, but worth it! Everything just comes together perfect.

For A side dish; I cooked the Hash Browns, as I said on medium high heat, in Extra Virgin Olive Oil for about 16 minutes. I used Simply Potatoes Hash Browns, my favorite packaged Potatoes. Always fresh and so easy to prepare. Wow, one delicious Breakfast/Dinner Sandwich and side. Really enjoyed this meal. For dessert later a healthy Choice Dark Fudge Swirl Frozen Greek Yogurt.

An apple pie is a fruit pie (or tart) in which the principal filling ingredient is apple. It is, on occasion, served with whipped cream or ice cream on top, or alongside cheddar cheese. The pastry is generally used top-and-bottom, making it a double-crust pie, the upper crust of which may be a circular shaped crust or a pastry lattice woven of strips; exceptions are deep-dish apple pie with a top crust only, and open-face TarteTatin.

Cooking apples (culinary apples), such as the Bramley, Empire, Northern Spy or Granny Smith, are crisp and acidic. The fruit for the pie can be fresh, canned, or reconstituted from dried apples. This affects the final texture, and the length of cooking time required; whether it has an effect on the flavour of the pie is a matter of opinion. Dried or preserved apples were originally substituted only at times when fresh fruit was unavailable.

Apple Pie is often served in the style of "à la Mode" (topped with ice cream). Alternatively, a piece of cheese (such as a sharp cheddar) is, at times, placed on top of or alongside a slice of the finished pie.

English apple pie recipes go back to the time of Chaucer. The 1381 recipe lists the ingredients as good apples, good spices, figs, raisins and pears. The cofyn of the recipe is a casing of pastry. Saffron is used for coloring the pie filling.

In English speaking countries, apple pie is a dessert of enduring popularity, eaten hot or cold, on its own or with ice cream, double cream, or custard.

Most modern recipes for apple pie require an ounce or two of sugar, but the earliest recipe does not. There are two possible reasons for this difference.

Sugarcane imported from Egypt was not widely available in 14th-century England, where it cost between one and two shillings per pound—this is roughly the equivalent of US$100 per kg (about US$46 per pound) in today's prices.

Honey, which was many times cheaper, is also absent from the recipe, and the "good spices" and saffron, all imported, were no less expensive and difficult to obtain than refined sugar. Despite the expense, refined sugar did appear much more often in published recipes of the time than honey, suggesting that it was not considered prohibitively expensive. With the exception of apples and pears, all the ingredients in the filling probably had to be imported. And perhaps, as in some modern "sugar-free" recipes, the juice of the pears was intended to sweeten the pie.

Traditional Dutch apple pie comes in two varieties, a crumb (appelkruimeltaart) and a lattice (appeltaart) style pie. Both recipes are distinct in that they typically call for flavorings such as cinnamon and lemon juice to be added and differ in texture, not taste. Dutch apple pies may include ingredients such as raisins and icing, in addition to ingredients such as apples and sugar, which they have in common with other recipes.

Recipes for Dutch apple pie go back centuries. There exists a painting from the Dutch Golden Age, dated 1626, featuring such a pie. A recipe in a late medieval Dutch cook book 'Een notabel boecxken van cokeryen' (from around 1514) is almost identical to modern recipes.

The basis of Dutch apple pie is a crust on the bottom and around the edges. This crust is then filled with pieces or slices of apple, usually a crisp and mildly tart variety such as Goudreinet or Elstar. Cinnamon and sugar are generally mixed in with the apple filling. Atop the filling, strands of dough cover the pie in a lattice holding the filling in place but keeping it visible or cover the pie with crumbs. It can be eaten warm or cold, sometimes with a dash of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. In the US, "Dutch apple pie" refers specifically to the apple pie style with a crumb, streusel, topping.

The Swedish style apple pie is predominantly a variety of apple crumble, rather than a traditional pastry pie. Often, breadcrumbs are used (wholly or partially) instead of flour, and sometimes rolled oats. It is usually flavored with cinnamon and served with vanilla custard or ice cream. There is also a very popular version called äppelkaka (apple cake), which differs from the pie in that it is a sponge cake baked with fresh apple pieces in it.

An apple pie is one of a number of American cultural icons.

Apple pie was brought to the English colonies by the British, Dutch, and Swedes during the 17th and 18th centuries.

In the English colonies, the apple pie had to wait for the planting of European varieties, brought across the Atlantic, to become fruit-bearing apple trees, to be selected for their cooking qualities as there were no native apples, except the crab apple which yield very small and intensely sour fruit with poor flavor. In the meantime, the colonists were more likely to make their pies, or "pasties", from meat rather than fruit; and the main use for apples, once they were available, was in cider. However, there are American apple pie recipes, both manuscript and printed, from the 18th century, and it has since become a very popular dessert. Apple varieties are usually propagated by grafting, as clones, but in the New World, planting from seeds was more popular, which quickly led to the development of hundreds of new native varieties.

Apple pie was a common food in 18th-century Delaware. As noted by the New Sweden historian Dr. Israel Acrelius in a letter: "Apple pie is used throughout the whole year, and when fresh Apples are no longer to be had, dried ones are used. It is the evening meal of children."

A mock apple pie, made from crackers, was possibly invented by pioneers on the move during the 19th century who were bereft of apples. Alternatively, it may have been invented during the American Civil War based on the food shortages experienced by the Southern States. In the 1930s, and for many years afterwards, Ritz Crackers promoted a recipe for mock apple pie using its product, along with sugar and various spices.

Although apple pies have been eaten since long before the European colonisation of the Americas, "as American as apple pie" is a saying in the United States, meaning "typically American". In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, apple pie became a symbol of American prosperity and national pride. A newspaper article published in 1902 declared that "No pie-eating people can be permanently vanquished." The dish was also commemorated in the phrase "for Mom and apple pie" - supposedly the stock answer of American soldiers in World War II, whenever journalists asked why they were going to war. Jack Holden and Frances Kay sang in their patriotic 1950 song The Fiery Bear, creating contrast between the popular view of the U.S. culture and that of the Soviet Union:

We love our baseball and apple pie
We love our county fair
We'll keep Old Glory waving high
There's no place here for a bear
Advertisers exploited the patriotic connection in the 1970s with the commercial jingle "baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet".

Today, modern American recipes for apple pie usually indicate a confection that is 9 inches in diameter in a fluted pie plate with an apple filling spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg. and lemon juice, and may or may not have a lattice or shapes cut out of the top for decoration. The unincorporated community of Pie Town, New Mexico is named in honor of the apple pie.

Directions
1 - Place a large skillet on medium heat and sauté the chopped onions in the olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the chopped garlic and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Add all the spices, stir, and cook for another minute.
2 - Chop the tomatoes (preferably removing the seeds) and add them into the skillet, cooking for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has started to thicken. If the sauce if too thick, add about 1/4 cup of water, stir, and cook for another couple minutes. You don't want your sauce to be too thick, so that the eggs will poach well. On the other hand, you don't want it to be too liquidey or the flavors will be diluted. Taste the sauce and add more salt, if needed.
3 - Once your sauce is just right, carefully crack the 4 eggs on top of the sauce, leaving a space between each one. (If there's room, you might be able to fit an additional 2 or 3 eggs into the sauce). Put a lid on the skillet, and allow the eggs to cook for about 5 minutes, checking them often so that the yolk reaches the state that you prefer. (In Tunisia, the yolk is usually soft, but if you prefer a cooked yolk, simply cook it a bit longer).
4 - Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, remove the skillet from heat, and sprinkle the chopped parsley on top of the eggs. Serve hot, with a good slice of bread to soak up all the delicious tomato sauce.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

What a beautiful day out there today! A bit windy but sunny out and not a cloud in the sky. Had some Simply Potatoes Hash Browns and a couple of Eckrich Smoked Turkey Breakfast Sausage Links for Breakfast. Add my morning Bigelow Decaf Green Tea and the Sunday Paper and I was set. Cleaned up around the house and did a load of laundry for Mom. All done inside and got the cart out and enjoyed this beautiful day. Got the rod and reel out and did a little fishing down at the community lake. Caught a few little ones, just nice to be outside! For dinner it was sort of odds and ends put together. I prepared Broken Lasagna with Hardwood Smoked Turkey Sausage and Baked Bread.

I preheated the oven to 400 degrees and when ready baked the remaining loaf of the Multi-Grain Batard Bread. I always try to use Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Grain Pastas but it's getting harder

and harder to find their products. Kroger and Walmart no longer carry the products, so Meijer is the only place here locally that I can find it. So anyway I grabbed the box of Lasagna and broke up a few of the Noodles into smaller pieces. To prepare it; I took a medium size sauce pan and filled half way with water and added 1/2 tablespoon of Sea Salt to it and brought it a boil. Added the Broken Lasagna Noodles and stirred. Cooked them uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes drained them and set aside.

As the Pasta was cooking I grabbed a small sauce pan and added the La Rosa's Sauce to it, letting it simmer on medium low heat. And as the Pasta and Sauce were cooking I cooked the Sausage on another burner. Used a medium size skillet and sprayed it with Pam Cooking Spray and 1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I'm using the Butterball Hardwood Smoked Turkey Sausage; that I sliced into bite size pieces. When the skillet was heated I added the Sausage, cooked them for about 10 minutes flipping the pieces over twice.

The Pasta, Sauce, and Sausage all got done at the same time. I took the drained Pasta and put them

into a large bowl. Seasoned with Sea Salt, Dried Parsley, and McCormick Grinder Italian Seasoning and tossed making sure it was mixed well. Then added a cup of the La Rosa's Sauce mixing well until all the Pasta was covered. Finally added the Smoked Turkey Sausage and stirred. To serve it I topped it with some Sliced Black Olives and Kraft Reduced Fat Grated Parmesan Cheese. Ne fine meal for just throwing some items together! I'll have to keep this Broken Lasagna Meal in mind to use again sometime. For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Pudding.

Butterball Hardwood Smoked Turkey Sausage

14 oz. | Servings: 7

Try Butterball’s fully cooked Smoked Turkey Dinner Sausage. Now you and your family can enjoy the great taste of hardwood-smoked lean turkey sausage with less fat than pork or beef smoked sausage. Serve with your favorite side dish for a quick and easy meal solution that always tastes great.

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice your French bread into four equal pieces. Then, slice those four pieces in half so now you have eight pieces of bread.
Spoon pizza sauce over slices of bread, then arrange slices of buffalo mozzarella over top.
Place pizzas on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until bubbly. Immediately upon removing from the oven, scatter the basil on top.

Here's a fantastic article and recipes on Low-Calorie Carb Recipes. Some great ideas for those with Diabetes 2, like myself. It's all from the Diabetic Living On Line website. http://www.eatingwell.com/

Low-Calorie Carb Recipes

Healthy whole-grain recipes to help you lose weight.
Carbs have gotten a bad rap as a diet no-no, but whole grains are an essential part of a healthy diet. These low-calorie recipes feature healthy carbs, such as whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, barley, bulgur, wheat berries and popcorn, and can even help you lose weight. Lighten up your carb cravings with these healthy low-calorie whole-grain recipes.

Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili
This rib-sticking chili offers a hearty mix of wheat berries, beans, peppers and onion. Feel free to add an additional chipotle pepper to crank up the heat in this one-pot meal. Cooked wheat berries will keep for up to 1 month in your freezer and there's no need to thaw them; just stir them directly into the chili.....

Lemony Asparagus Pasta
Penne and asparagus are bathed in a rich sauce with a slight bite of mustard, lemon and Parmesan. This dish is lovely in early spring, when asparagus is at its peak and nights are still cool enough to inspire a craving for something rich and warm.....

Bulgur Stuffing with Dried Cranberries & Hazelnuts
For a change of pace from traditional bread stuffing, try this elegant, nutty-tasting pilaf, which features quick-cooking whole-grain bulgur.....

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Started my day off with a light Breakfast. I had a Healthy Life whole Grain English Muffin topped with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light along with a cup of Bigelow Decaf Green Tea. Spent some of the afternoon repairing a kitchen drawer, the runner bracket that drawer slids on broke. Did a few other things in and around the house for my day. For dinner tonight I prepared a Colombian Flat-Iron Steak w/ Cut Green Beans and Potatoes, Mini Carrots, and Baked Bread.

This is a new Buffalo Steak from Wild Idea Buffalo, 8 oz. Colombian Flat-Iron Steak. The Steak is a

“Colombian Style” marinade Steak. The marinade consists of; Worcestershire. Organic: Lime Juice, Sea Salt, Green Onion, Oregano, Cumin, and Red Pepper. I had it in the freezer so I laid it out in the

fridge overnight to thaw. So to prepare it I got the Cast Iron Skillet out. Sprayed a shot of Pam on it

and a tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, heated it up on medium heat. I seasoned it the Steak with just a bit of McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn Medley and when the Skillet was heated I started frying. I cooked it for 3 minutes a side, and it came out a perfect medium rare. Buffalo cooks up so quickly because it’s so lean, you have to keep an eye on it so not to get it over done. I also made some Sauteed Baby Bella Mushrooms. So I sliced them up, seasoned them with Sea Salt, Roasted Cumin, and Dried Thyme and added them to the same Skillet as the Buffalo. The Colombian Style Marinade is incredible! Slicing this Steak up for a Fajita would be perfect also! The Steak as usual was so tender and flavorful. Had half the Steak left so I’ll have the other half at lunch tomorrow as a Steak Sandwich. Great addition to Wild Idea Buffalo Steaks.

For one side I heated up a can of Del Monte Cut Green Beans and Potatoes. A combination of two of my favorite Vegetables all in one can! Then I also boiled some Mini Carrots. The big 3 of Vegetables for me. Then I also baked a Multi-Grain Batard Loaf of Bread. For dessert/snack later a 100 Calorie Mini Bag of Jolly Time Pop Corn.

Wild Idea Buffalo – 8 oz. Colombian Flat-Iron Steak

Flat Iron steaks have long been a favorite for chefs. We’ve made this popular steakhouse cut even

better with our “Colombian Style” marinade. We think this Colombian Style marinade compliments the rich, sweet flavor of our 100% grass-fed bison steak. Simply remove from the package, shake off the excess marinade, and grill over a high heat for 2 minutes per side. You’re going to love this steak!

* Defrost frozen chicken by soaking in cold water that has been heavily salted. The meat will be pure white and very tasty.

* The most common thawing technique, and one of the safest, is to take your frozen food out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator. This takes longer than any other process, but you are assured that since it is confined to the cold environment of your fridge, it won't develop bacteria.

* If you thawed the chicken in the refrigerator, you don't have to cook it right away. Poultry that's been defrosted in the fridge can be safely kept for an additional one to two days in the refrigerator before cooking, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Friday, June 26, 2015

Feeling a lot better today, now that I worked the soreness out from the tumble I took. Breakfast was so good yesterday I prepared the same thing this morning, Turkey Goetta and a Egg Beater's Egg White Cheese Omelet. As a kid you couldn't pay me to eat Egg Whites and now I actually prefer them over the yolk. Ah times are a changing! A lot of rain overnight and more on the way, actually South of us about 2-3 inches more! It was house cleaning day today; vacuum, dusting, and laundry. For dinner tonight I prepared one of my favorite sandwiches, the Fish sandwich. I prepared a Blackened Yellow Snapper Sandwich w/ Baked Fries

In the package Grouper a buddy mine gave me I also found a couple of Yellowtail Snapper Fillets. Love the Snapper as much as I do the Grouper. And like the Grouper it can be prepared so many different ways, and all of them delicious! The Snapper was in the freezer so I laid them in the fridge overnight to thaw. To prepare tonight's fillets I blackened them. I love to blacken any Fish, just so flavorful. I'm using Zatarain's Blackening Season, which I almost always use.

To prepare the fillets I rinsed them off in cold water and patting dry with paper towel. I melted a tablespoon of butter, Blue Bonnet Light Stick Butter. I then brushed both sides of the fillets with the melted Butter and seasoned them with Sea Salt and then with Zatarain’s Blackened Seasoning. I then I got out my favorite skillet, The Cast Iron Skillet. When the pan was fully heated, on medium heat, I added my Snapper. At this point turn on your Stove Overhead Exhaust Fan on, it will start smoking from the seasoning. Cooked it about 4 minutes per side, and it was ready. Cast Iron Skillets are perfect to use for any cooking but especially when Blacken something. The Skillet heats up and holds it heat and the heat evenly distributes across the Skillet, perfect for Blackening Meats. This Snapper turned out so good, moist and bursting with flavor. Just something about the Gulf Seafood. The Zatarain’s Seasonings are perfect for any Seafood. I used a Perfection Deli Mini Wheat Sub Bun for the bread. There was no toppings need for this bad boy of Fish Sandwiches, it's delicious all on it's own! For a side I baked some Ore Ida Steak Fries, served these with a side of Hunt’s Ketchup for dipping. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Dark Fudge Swirl Frozen Greek Yogurt.

Yellowtail Snapper

The yellowtail snapper, Ocyurus chrysurus, is an abundant species of snapper native to the western Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

Identified by a yellow stripe that runs the full length of the body from forward of the eye to the deeply forked yellow tail. The stripe is vivid in young fish, but pales with maturity. Color above the line is bluish with yellow patches; silvery white below. No prominent teeth as in most other Snappers.

The yellowtail snapper is not listed as endangered or vulnerable with the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The IUCN is a global union of states, governmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations in a partnership that assesses the conservation status of species.

For this week's Jennie - O recipe of the Week it's Tasty Turkey Sliders. To make the patties you'll be using JENNIE-O® Lean Ground Turkey and to make the Cream Cheese Topping you'll be using JENNIE-O® Sun Dried Tomato Turkey Breast. Then if your looking to save on calories and carbs you can use Fat Free Cream Cheese, Reduced Fat Provolone Cheese, and Whole Grain Lite Slider Buns. You can find this recipe along with endless others on the Jennie - O website. http://www.jennieo.com/

* TURKEY SLIDER: In hot skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté onions, mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until onions are caramelized and mushrooms are brown. Stir in garlic and parsley. Remove from heat to cool.

* In medium bowl, add sautéed ingredients to ground turkey mix together not to overwork. Form into small sliders approximately 2 tablespoons each. Press gently into shape. Place burgers on plate covered with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.

* In non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook turkey patties 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until well-done, 165°F as measured by a meat thermometer. Toast bread under broiler. Place burger on each piece of toasted cheese bread. Add a small dollop of cream cheese mixture. Take wood skewer, pierce basil leaf, tomato half; press skewer into the slider to serve.

Here's a light salad I came across on the PBS Recipe website that I wanted to pass along, Savoy Cabbage Shrimp Salad. Just one of many fantastic recipe ideas on the PBS website. http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/

Savoy Cabbage Shrimp Salad

This savoy cabbage shrimp salad recipe is super light. The combination of celery, scallions, and jalapeno adds great flavor.

Directions
1 - In a small saucepan, add the rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt together. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring to ensure that the sugar and salt have dissolved. Place the shrimp in a bowl; pour the vinegar mixture over the shrimp, they should immediately turn a bright orange/red color, cooking. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to pickle for about 2 hours.
2 - Remove the shrimp from the pickling liquid and pour the liquid into a large bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, sesame oil, lime juice and grated ginger. Next add the cabbage, celery, scallions and jalapeño. Toss the salad so everything is coated in dressing. Sprinkle with the tablespoon of sesame seeds and toss once more. Fold in the pickled shrimp and serve immediately or place in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

* Avoid shrimp that smells of anything other than salt water. If there is any hint of the aroma of ammonia, it's a sign the shrimp is way past its prime. Truly fresh shrimp will have almost translucent flesh. Do not buy shrimp with black spots or rings (unless it's black tiger shrimp) as this indicates the meat is starting to break down. Also avoid pink meat.

* To thaw frozen shrimp, put it in the refrigerator, covered, for about a day to defrost or place in a colander under cool running water.

* The only shrimp to really avoid when buying shrimp is the shrimp being imported into the United States. Foreign fishing and shrimp farming regulations can vary greatly from US standards and you can't always be sure of either the safety or the sustainability of what you're buying.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

I lost my leg to Melanoma Cancer back in June of 2001, wow 14 years ago! I've always tried to be

careful of falls, and never had one until last night. I was going from one room to the other and I was using my walker when the rubber tip on the bottom of one of the legs came off and threw my balance off. And I came crashing down. I ended up with a knot on the side of my head (with a headache), a cut on the palm of my hand, a cut on my elbow, and a deep cut on my knee. It could have worse though if my head would have hit on the corner of the TV stand. I was a bit shaken for a bit, but okay now. No fun falling!

Still a little sore this afternoon and my ankle is hurting a bit so I took it easy today. Had an Egg Beater's Egg White Cheese Omelet and a couple of slices of Turkey Goetta for Breakfast. Didn't do my full morning workout due to being a bit sore. Rested a lot today and that was about it. For dinner tonight a new recipe, Garth's Taco Pizza.

So to prepare the Pizza I preheated the oven to 425 degrees F. Transfer the Pizza Shell on to the Pizza

Hot out of the oven!

Pan. I then browned the Ground Turkey in a medium skillet over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Stirred in the Taco Seasoning. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mixed together the Refried Beans and Picante Sauce until combined. Spread the mixture onto the Crust. Scatter the Olives over the Crust, then top with the Cheese and the browned Turkey. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned. While the Pizza is baking, in a medium bowl toss the Diced Tomatoes, Lettuce and Sour Cream. Once the Pizza is out of the oven, top it with the cool Lettuce mixture. Slice into eight pieces and serve. Garth and Trisha have their self a winning recipe here! Tastes just like Tacos only in a Pizza form, less messy and fantastic flavor. I got me one of those 'Keeper Recipes". You can turn your Taco Night into Pizza Night and your Pizza Night into Taco Night with this recipe! For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Pudding.

Brown the ground beef in a medium skillet over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Stir in the taco seasoning. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the refried beans and picante sauce until combined. Spread the mixture onto the crust. Scatter the olives over the crust, then top with the cheese and the browned beef. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned.

While the crust is baking, lightly salt the tomatoes, then, in a medium bowl, toss them with the lettuce and sour cream. Once the pizza is out of the oven, top it with the cool lettuce mixture. Slice into eight pieces and serve.

Water-pepper or water pepper (Persicaria hydropiper, syn. Polygonum hydropiper) is a plant of the family Polygonaceae. It grows in damp places and shallow water. It is a cosmopolitan plant, found in Australia, New Zealand, temperate Asia, Europe, and North America. It has some use as a spice because of its pungent flavor.

Water-pepper

Water pepper is an annual herb with an erect stem growing to a height of 20 to 70 cm (8 to 28 in). The leaves are alternate and almost stalkless. The leaf blades are narrowly ovate and have entire margins fringed by very short hairs. They are tapering with a blunt apex. Each leaf base has stipules which are fused into a stem-enclosing sheath that is loose and fringed at the upper end. The inflorescence is a nodding spike. The perianth of each tiny flower consists of four or five segments, united near its green base and white or pink at the edges. There are six stamens, three fused carpels and three styles. The fruit is a dark brown oval, flattened nut.

Water-pepper has several active ingredients. Two bicyclic (Sesquiterpenoids are present, polygodial (tadeonal, an unsaturated dialdehyde with a drimane backbone) and waburganal, which has been found responsible for the pungent taste (hence its edibility). The plant also contains rutin, a source of the bitter taste impression.

In Japan this plant's leaves are used as a vegetable - these are from the cultivar, not the wild type which has a far more pungent taste. Wild waterpepper produces oils that cause skin irritation, and the many acids in its tissues, including formic acid, make the plant unpalatable to livestock. Young red sprouts are used as a sashimi garnish, and are known as beni-tade ( red water pepper). Though livestock do not eat the wild type, some insects do, giving rise to the Japanese saying “There is no accounting for taste.” or more narrowly “Some prefer nettles.”

An easily prepared and Diabetic Friendly recipe. It's from the CooksRecipes website. Cucumbers, Onions, and Spices make up this recipe. Check out the CooksRecipes website for any of your recipes you are looking for. http://www.cooksrecipes.com/index.html

Bread and Butter Pickles

These crisp, sweet pickles are a welcome accompaniment to sandwiches and salads. When you've eaten the pickles, use the pickling liquid to add zing to dressing for potato or pasta salad.

Place cucumbers and onions in a large non-reactive bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours. Drain the vegetables, rinse and drain again. Blot dry using paper towels.
Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Fill boiling-water canner half full with water; add jars and water to cover. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Place lids in water to cover in a small saucepan; bring water to a simmer. Simmer until ready to use. Remove and drain jars and lids, one at a time, as needed for filling.
Bring vinegar, Splenda® Granulated Sweetener, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, and cloves to a boil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the cucumbers and onions and return to a boil.
Pack hot vegetables immediately into prepared jars using a slotted spoon, filling to within 1/4-inch of tops. Ladle pickling liquid into jars, filling to within 1/4-inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on rack in canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil.
Process 15 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing center of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.) Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Once opened, store refrigerated.
Makes 24 servings.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Busy day today. Had a real light Breakfast and on to the morning workout. Then out the door before 7:00. First stopped at Walmart for a few items and then on to Meijer to finish up shopping. Back home put everything away, broke some of the Meat packages to freeze. Cleaned up around the house and Dad had home therapy today and a nurse stopping over later in the day. Went and got Mom's car washed for her and back home for the day. Managed to get the cart out for a while also to enjoy a beautiful day. No humidity, sunny, and a high in the 70's! Humidity coming back in with hotter weather tomorrow though. For dinner tonight I prepared a real family favorite tonight, Chicken Enchiladas.

I had come across this recipe idea in an issue of Food Network Magazine, courtesy of Ree

Then to prepare them I preheated the oven to 350 degrees F. Then one at a time, held the Tortillas

Ready for the oven....

over the stove top burner (heated to medium heat) to brown slightly, about 20 seconds per side. Set the warmed Tortillas aside. In a bowl, mix together the Cumin, Chili Powder, Cajun Spice, salt and pepper. Sprinkled both sides of the Chicken Breasts with the Spice Mix. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the Chicken on both sides until done in the middle and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Set aside on a plate to cool, then shred finely with a fork. Threw the Onions into the same skillet, stir them around and cook until deep golden brown and caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes; set them aside on a plate. Pour the Enchilada Sauce into the skillet and reduce the heat to low, allowing it to warm through.

To make the enchiladas: Pour 2 cups of the Sauce into a 9-by-13-inch Casserole Dish and leave the

rest in the skillet. Dip a Tortilla into the Sauce in the skillet, then lay it on a baking sheet or plate. Sprinkle some Cheese down the middle, followed by some Chicken and finally, some of the Caramelized Onions. Roll it up tightly, then place it seam-side down in the Casserole Dish. Repeat with the rest of the Tortillas. Pour the rest of the Sauce over the Enchiladas, then sprinkle on the rest of the Cheese. Give it a final sprinkling of Chili Powder. Bake until hot and bubbly, 30 minutes. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

.....and done!

Serve the enchiladas topped with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkling of cilantro and a wedge of lime. And time to enjoy these babies! Hot, Cheesy, Flavorful, with nice Heat, not to over use the saying but it’s a “Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!” Another Keeper Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond. The original recipe along with the web link is at the end of the post. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Dark Fudge Swirl Greek Frozen Yogurt.

One at a time, hold the tortillas over the stove top burner (heated to medium heat) to brown slightly, about 30 seconds per side. Set the warmed tortillas aside.

In a bowl, mix together the cumin, chili powder, Cajun spice, salt and pepper. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with the spice mix.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken on both sides until done in the middle and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Set aside on a plate to cool, then shred finely with a fork.

Throw the onions into the same skillet, stir them around and cook until deep golden brown and caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes; set them aside on a plate. Pour the enchilada sauce into the skillet and reduce the heat to low, allowing it to warm through.

To assemble the enchiladas: Pour 2 cups of the sauce into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and leave the rest in the skillet. Dip a tortilla into the sauce in the skillet, then lay it on a baking sheet or plate. Sprinkle some cheese down the middle, followed by some chicken and finally, some of the caramelized onions. Roll it up tightly, then place it seam-side down in the casserole dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese. Give it a final sprinkling of chili powder.

Bake until hot and bubbly, 30 minutes. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Serve the enchiladas topped with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of diced tomatoes, a sprinkling of cilantro and a wedge of lime.

This week's Wild Idea Buffalo Recipe of the Week is a Grilled Steak Tournedos with Sauce Béarnaise. To prepare this one you'll be using Wild Idea Buffalo Tenderloin or Top Sirloin Steak. Nothing is anymore delicious than the Wild Idea Buffalo Steaks. Tender, moist, and so flavorful, they are incredible! Another winning recipe from Jill O'Brien of Wild Idea Buffalo! You can find this recipe and even purchase the Wild Idea Buffalo Tenderloin or Top Sirloin Steak on the Wild Idea Buffalo website. http://wildideabuffalo.com/

Grilled Steak Tournedos with Sauce Béarnaise
By: Jill O'Brien

This classic, timeless favorite is simple to prepare, delicious and elegant. A great entree to serve for a dinner party or for a romantic dinner for two!

1) Steak: Rinse steak under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil on a plate and add ¼ teaspoon salt & pepper each. Mix together and roll the steak into the seasoned olive oil. Cover and let rest for 2 hours before grilling. Preheat grill to high heat, 500°. Place prepared steaks on clean oiled grill grate over high heat. Grill steaks for 3 minutes on each side, with grill lid closed during cooking, for medium rare results. Remove from heat, season with a little more salt, cover and rest for 5 minutes.

2) Potato: Bake or boil your potato and allow it to come to room temperature. Slice the potato into ½ inch circles. Over lap the potato slices into a tight pinwheel. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Using a spatula, add the potato pinwheel to the pan and season with a little salt & pepper. Cook the potato pinwheel for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Again, using a spatula, turn the potato pinwheel and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

3) Asparagus: Wash asparagus, and trim the thicker ends off. Using a potato peeler, peel one of the stalks into asparagus ribbons. Over high heat, bring one cup of water, plus a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the asparagus spears and cook for 3 minutes, adding the asparagus ribbons during the last minute. Remove from water and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.

4) To plate, place crispy potato pinwheel in the center of the plate, top with grilled steak, asparagus spears and ribbons, and drizzle with desired amount of sauce Béarnaise.

From the EatingWell website it's, Low-Calorie Recipes to Help You Eat Clean. The EatingWell website is full of delicious and healthy recipes like these! http://www.eatingwell.com/

Low-Calorie Recipes to Help You Eat Clean

Eat better with our slimmed-down recipes for foods to help you eat clean.
Trying to clean up your diet? These low-calorie recipes are low in saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, and deliver natural whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. Find out more about our clean-eating tips—what foods to eat and what to skip. Try one of these healthy recipes today to clean up your diet and slim down.

Kale Salad with Preserved Lemon & Walnuts
In this kale salad recipe, we massage dressing into the kale leaves until they’re tender and coated with flavor. Topped with bold Mediterranean flavors—olives, walnuts and preserved lemons—this healthy salad is as delicious as it is nutritious. Look for preserved lemons at specialty-foods shops or online at surlatable.com. Or, to make your own, see the recipe on eatingwell.com.....

Green Smoothie
Get your daily dose of dark leafy greens any time of day with this delicious green smoothie. Ground flaxseed adds omega-3s. Pour any extra into a freezer-pop mold and have it later as a frozen green smoothie pop.......

* Click the link below to get all the Low-Calorie Recipes to Help You Eat Clean

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Had to fast overnight for my 4 month checkup at the Family Doctor; checking Sugar, Cholesterol, and such. Glad it's over, I don't like going to a doctor and especially a Family Doctor. After that I had to take Dad for a Doctor appointment later in the morning. Back home did the usual, cleaned up the house and cleaned up around the house a bit. Have one of my favorites for dinner tonight, fresh Florida Gulf Coast Grouper! Tonight I prepared a Fried Gulf Coast Grouper w/ Smashed Potatoes and Green Beans.

A good friend of mine gave me a call early last evening and said he just came in from Florida and he was coming by to drop off some Gulf Coast Grouper off to me! And this was fresh caught Grouper, never frozen. He came home Monday and it was caught on early Sunday evening off the Gulf Coast of Florida. They filleted what they had and put them on ice, then straight to my fridge! Now that's fresh! A big “thank you” to Jim for the Grouper! Wow I’ve got some beautiful fillets of Grouper. I coated the fillets in seasoned flour that I seasoned with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn Medley. I fried the fillets in Extra Virgin Olive Oil on medium heat until they were a golden brown, flipping them over one time. What fantastic tasting fillets! So fresh and meaty, love these Groupers. I'll have leftover Grouper for lunch tomorrow.

For sides I had Smashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and a slice of Klosterman Wheat Bread. To make the Smashed Potatoes I used Petite Gourmet Potatoes. I cut each Potato in half. Then after putting them in a bowl I added a tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn Medley, Dried Dill, and Parsley and mixed until all were coated. I then boiled them for 20 minutes. Then put them in a serving bowl and with a fork smashed them up. Added I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter and continued to smash and mix. The Green Beans were Del Monte Cut Green Beans. For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Pudding.

Grouper

A fish weighing from 5-15 pounds. The flesh is lean and firm, but the skin is strongly flavored and should be removed before cooking. Popular varieties are the black grouper, Nassau grouper, red grouper and yellowmouth/yellowfin grouper.